Page 285 of Flirting with Darkness

The office of Chad Williams was only a few blocks over. He could have walked but the borders were far enough away it would just be easier to ride.

K-pop music filtered through his helmet and he nodded his head in time with the beat, weaving in and out of cars as he sang along to Blackpink. He stopped at a light, busting out the moves. Why was this shit so catchy?

The nape of his neck prickled with awareness and he noticed the car next to him full of teens.

One of them pulled the same move he did and the other grinned, reaching over to blast their radio until Blackpink was blaring loud enough for everyone on the block to hear. Dex grinned, enjoying the anonymity his helmet gave him.

They danced together to the song, hitting the choreography hard until the light turned green and he pointed two fingers at his eyes and then at the teens, making them all shout and yell. He grinned and blasted off.

Dex took those moments every chance he could.

It was the only time he ever felt like a part of something—when no one could see what he was or what he wasn’t.

Dex pulled up behind the parking structure and climbed off his bike.

He took a deep breath and tipped his head back, letting the weight of the helmet pull his head all the way back. Closing his eyes, he filed that memory away for when he needed to remember he wasn’t always a monster.

Then he stood and walked into the building with his helmet on. It was easier than pulling all the security footage of him after it was done.

No one tried to stop him, but he sensed the flurry of activity as he took the stairs two at a time to the right floor. The door was locked when he got there and Dex grinned, feeling all his violent delights sit up and take notice.

Okay, so this was going to be a game then.

He kicked the door and it blasted off the hinges. Dex walked in to see an empty office. Expected after hours, but there were a few people still in the building, up above him. Mostly security and janitors.

It took a second to refocus his wrath, so it didn’t lash out at anyone he didn’t want it to. The angel side of him didn’t always care who it hurt. Emotions were human problems and humanity was a disgrace.

“Daddy’s home,” Dex crooned, stalking toward the politician’s office. The stench of fear nearly drove him wild and Dex stopped just outside the door, breathing hard as he held it all in. “You gonna let me in, sweetheart?”

The secretary trembled, but she didn’t try to run, thank fuck. She just nodded and buzzed the door open.

Dex focused on the man he could sense inside and calmly opened the door. He stepped through and let it close behind him. Locking it, he pulled off his helmet and let the politician see exactly what he was.

“Look, I’m trying,” Chad told him, hands up as if that would stop Dex. “I’m going as fast as I can.”

“Not fast enough,” Dex growled.

He rolled his shoulders back and let his coat fall to the floor, revealing the leather holster that wrapped across his chest and down his waist. The number of guns on his person was unnecessary, but Dex knew humans were terrified of them.

“I’ll see what I can do.” Chad’s voice trembled with each word. “I promise.”

“Promises, promises.” He stalked forward and enjoyed the way the man cowered before him. “You said it would be done by Friday. It’s well past Friday.”

Chad slid off his chair to his knees and begged. “Tomorrow! I promise it will be done.”

Dex fisted his hands, trying to hold back despite how badly he wanted to smell blood. “I suppose I could be fine with that.”

The way the human slumped in relief left a bad taste in his mouth.

Dex was across the room so fast Chad didn’t even have time to flinch. He gripped Chad’s hair and yanked back, exposing the man’s throat. “I have to leave a reminder, you know, in case you forget again.”

“Please,” he begged, tears escaping him. “Please don’t hurt me.”

“I like the way it sounds when you beg,” Dex growled in his ear, feeling the urge for messy violence, but that wasn’t what this situation needed. “Be a good boy and do as you’re told.”

He yanked a knife from its sheath and flipped it before drawing it across the man’s throat with lightning speed.

Chad’s scream sent a shiver of pleasure down his spine and Dex dropped the man.

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